7:00am Wednesday 10th February 2010
By James Calnan
TEMPORARY classrooms costing £2million will be built at a Colchester secondary school, just years before it gets a £27million upgrade.
Essex County Council is set to pay £1.94million on a temporary expansion of Philip Morant School over the next two years.
Then in 2013, work is expected to begin on a £27million expansion as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Similarly, next year will see £266,000 spent on demountable classrooms at St Helena School, ahead of a £17.1million rebuilding project.
An Essex County Council spokesman confirmed the expenditure was necessary, because the £130million schools programme had been delayed after funding was initially confirmed last year.
The last intake of Year 7 pupils at Alderman Blaxill and Thomas Lord Audley schools is due to take place in September 2011 – one year later than originally planned – before the schools close for good five years later.
Essex County Council budget figures reveal nearly £18million has been set aside for Sir Charles Lucas Arts College, which is set to become an academy this September.
Philip Morant is expected to take on an extra 300 pupils, while staff at St Helena will teach another 150 youngsters.
Gilberd School in High Woods is set for a £21.5million upgrade, Stanway is to get a £22.1million boost and Thurstable School, in Tiptree, is to benefit by £19.6million.
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